With life beginning to return to normal in Western North Carolina, Kevin O’Connor takes a tour of a few restaurants and breweries who are reopening after Hurricane Helene. He sits down with the owners of Chai Pani and Cúrate, two James Beard award winning restaurants to hear what makes this small city of Asheville such a hub for amazing food and breweries. One answer—the water. When Kevin sits down with representatives from Hillman Beer and Highland Brewing, he discovers that the same clean mountain water that draws brewers here is the same water that caused so much havoc a few months prior.
Meanwhile, in Swannanoa, Tom Silva is with homeowner Cat teaching her how to properly measure for interior window shades. After a quick trip to the store, they return so Tom can share a few tips and tricks for mounting the blinds.
Just down the street, Kevin joins Mauro Henrique outside homeowner Jim and Allie’s house to prep the exterior for painting. With fiber-cement siding and wood-composite trim, the job calls for a specific technique—Mauro uses wood filler on the trim while Kevin seals nail holes in the siding with caulk.
Over in North Asheville, Mark McCullough meets up again with chimney sweep Alan Justice to review the homeowners’ decision about their damaged chimney. Rather than repair the old structure, they’ve opted for a more cost-effective solution: installing a wood-burning insert. With the help of chimney sweep James Esser, they get to work prepping and setting the new fireplace in place.
Original Air Date: Nov 13, 2025, Season 47; Ep. 8 24:46
Products and Resources
- Contractors and services:
Balsam Built
Ward Enterprises
Old North State Building Company - Masonry: Alan’s Home Services and Chimney Sweep
- Side trips:
Hillman Beer
Chai Pani
Cúrate - Location: Explore Asheville
